Articles
Shining a light on sarcoidosis: The path from infection to treatment
Sarcoidosis can often be difficult to diagnose and tricky to treat. The disease, which produces ball-like conglomerates of inflammatory cells called granulomas in the affected organs, looks likely to be caused by a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes. Dr Yoshinobu Eishi and his team at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan, investigate the previously unknown path from P. acnes infection to […]
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Non-native lake trout suppression: A fisheries restoration success story
Introduction of non-native species can cause severe disruption to ecosystems. A rapid growth in lake trout numbers in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho threatened both native species conservation and the popular recreational fishery on the lake. This prompted Andrew M. Dux, Matthew P. Corsi and colleagues at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, along with Michael J. Hansen of the […]
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Nuts about nuts: The Mediterranean solution to diabetes control
Professor David Jenkins and his team at The University of Toronto investigate the impacts of exchanging carbohydrates for mixed nuts – a source of unsaturated fats – on critical risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as low-density lipoprotein particle size and apolipoprotein B levels. They also discern that adopting a lower-carb, high-fat diet, reminiscent of the Mediterranean diet, increases glycaemic […]
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The great grunion run: Monitoring grunion runs to inform conservation
Grunion runs describe the unusual breeding behaviour of the California grunion, which come ashore on sandy beaches to spawn. Fertilised eggs then incubate in the sand and only hatch when scouring waves from the next spring tide reveal them. These life history traits leave both adult fish and eggs vulnerable to negative human impacts. Professor Karen L. M. Martin from […]
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Climate change impacts on freshwater resources in southern Florida
As climate changes and sea levels rise, saltwater intrudes into the groundwater that sustains humans and natural ecosystems. These changes are often analysed using complex and highly detailed models analogous to weather forecast models. In this work, Dr Joseph Park and colleagues used a simpler, holistic approach: an agent-based model reflecting the response of different vegetation types to changing environmental […]
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Collaboration between specialist and primary health services in psychiatry: Development and implementation of the Pomor model to Arkhangelsk County, Russia
Historically, mental health problems have been met with reactions of stigma and discrimination. Due in large part to widespread campaigns to reduce this, attitudes are changing and mental health issues are finally being given the attention and investment they deserve. That said, there are still several issues related to care that need to be addressed. Dr Tore Sørlie and colleagues […]
The role of IL-33 in preventing metabolic disease
Dr Amal Hasan is based at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, State of Kuwait. Her work looks at the mechanics behind the relationship between obesity and metabolic disease. In particular, Dr Hasan’s research has shed light on the involvement of a molecule called IL-33 in metabolic disease. IL-33 and its interactions with another molecule, ST2, may play a role in metabolic […]
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Sustainable viticulture using organic fertilisers
Collaboration between researchers, vineyard owners and technology developers is helping to promote a sustainable approach to vineyard soil management that is also likely to improve vine and wine quality. Isabella Ghiglieno, project manager of Life Vitisom, presents the aims and results of a three-and-a-half-year study in Italy demonstrating how precision farming in the form of variable-rate technology could enable efficient, […]
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Equitable access to quality education in elementary school mathematics
In a study contrasting an assessment-heavy approach that concentrates on ‘getting the answer right’ with one that promotes the development of mathematical thinking in the elementary school classroom, Professor Brian Hudson, from Karlstad University and the University of Sussex, examines what constitutes educational quality in terms of mathematics education. This research demonstrates that in order to ensure fair and impartial […]
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Climate change: 40 years on the front lines of the climate change wars
Gary Yohe, a Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies at the Wesleyan University has been on the front lines of climate change research for the last 40 years. This is an overview of his influential work on climate change risk management, adaptation, mitigation, detection and attribution. Gary Yohe specialises in Microeconomic theory, Natural Resources, and Environmental Economics. As well as […]
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